The Carmi City Council met briefly for its regular meeting Monday evening and voted to approve renewing the employee health insurance with no increase in the premium for the city.

The city's health insurer is Mutual Medical, which the city switched to from Blue Cross/Blue Shield in 2010, resulting in some substantial savings since making the switch. The premium for this year was estimated at $886,314, which was in line with the 2013 premium. The city utilizes a minimum/maximum premium, which can fluctuate based on the amount of claims. The maximum for the city will be $1,020,314 if the city sees a substantial increase in claims.

However, the city posted an 81 percent loss ratio for 2013, and if that holds true for 2014, the minimum cost to the city could be as little as $803,631.

In other council news, Mayor Jeff Pollard announced the city was the recipient of an anonymous donation of a swing for handicapped children. The council briefly discussed where to locate the swing, with Bradshaw Park being decided upon due its likely greatest use at the north side park.

Some talk was traded about getting similar swings for Eckerle Park and Burrell's Woods and Alderman Mike Knight said he has been studying pricing for similar swings and also wants to talk to the city's welder about fabricating a new frame for perhaps better placement for the specially designed swing.

The mayor added weather has delayed progress on new installing new playground equipment at Burrell's Woods.

And, a private resident claimed an alderman had stopped the placement of gravel in a neighbor's alley due to the alderman's alleged dislike of the resident. The resident claimed the neighbor had told him he couldn't get gravel because of a personal beef.

The alderman, Mark Blake, denied he had said anything of the sort and quipped that he usually gets into trouble for using too much gravel.

Other aldermen also pointed out the area of concern was not in Blake's ward. Pollard said the allegation of a personal beef had been brought to his attention, though he was told it was a city employee who had said he would deny the request for the gravel.

Either way, Pollard said once he was made aware of the need for the gravel, it was promptly delivered and placed in the alley. He said employee behavior that involved personal beefs in city decisions would not be tolerated.